Search

I’m not sure how many people read the “About” section of this blog (lie: I check the Site Stats page more regularly than is healthy), but I’m fairly certain that I mention in that my love of poetry. This is actually quite a recent thing; I wrote my first poems around a year ago but decided they were rubbish and left it for short story writing. But in March this year I wanted to start writing more again (I fell out of practice with school work and the internet), and I didn’t have time for short stories (although I did start a screenplay and a script-explain the logic of that decision to me please?). So, I started writing poems. And as of today I’ve written 25-of which about three are acceptable for eyes not genetically linked to mine.

Anyway, to cut what could otherwise be a very, very long post short, here is one of my poems. It’s a more recent one, and I know it’s not perfect, but it was one of my first attempts at getting a structured rhyme scheme (it’s so tempting to write poems stream of conciousness, even when you know it doesn’t fit right). And you know what, I am quite proud of it.

This has been popping up everywhere recently (by which I mean school, television, facebook and the Internet. I cast a wide and varied social net). And the more I hear it, the more it annoys me.

The concept behind it is one that I wholeheartedly believe in. Taking every day with a new sense of wonder, with the knowledge that it might be your last, trying new things because you know that you only get one shot: those are all values that people should live their lives by. But isn’t it so typical of this-my-“technical generation” to shorten this well worn, time honoured, meaningful concept by making into four somehow incredibly annoying letters?

And it’s not just that. I have a friend (whom I hope never reads this) who punctuates every sentance with a cry of “Yolo!”.

“What are you having for lunch?”

“YOLO!”

“These steps are really steep.”

“YOLO!”

“I like your top!”

“YOLO!”

So, understandably, for me the phrase has nearly lost all meaning. And I’m sure it’s not just me that feels this way; the eye rolling whenever anybody says it now suggests that I’m right. But why do we have to make everything meaningless for ease of use? For further evidence, see I Regret Nothing-Edith Piaf song or dancing chicken?